Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 2, 2023
First Reading: Isaiah 50.4-7
4The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.5The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.6I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.7But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
Psalm 22
1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.3Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.4In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.5To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.7All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;8"He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"9Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.10On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God.11Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.12Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;13they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;15my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.16For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet--17I can count all my bones--they stare and gloat over me;18they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.19But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!21Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!22I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:23You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!24For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.25From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.26The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.28For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.29All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive.30Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;31they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
Second Reading: Philippians 2.6-11
6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel: Matthew 27.11-54
11Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so."12But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.13Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?"14But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.16And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.17So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"18For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.19Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream."20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.21The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."22Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!"23And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!"24So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."25And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"26Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.28And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,29and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"30And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.31And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.32As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.33And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),34they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.35And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.36Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.37And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."38Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.39And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads40and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."41So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,42"He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.43He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"44And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"47And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah."48And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink.49But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.51And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.52The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.54When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound example of humility and trust in God, as seen in the life of Jesus. The first reading from Isaiah presents a figure who, despite suffering and persecution, remains steadfast in faith, trusting in God's deliverance. This figure is a prophecy of Jesus, the suffering servant, who embodies the same unwavering trust in the face of adversity. The second reading from Philippians beautifully captures the essence of Jesus' humility and obedience, as he empties himself to take on human form and submits to death on the cross. This act of self-emptying love is not just a display of humility but also a profound expression of trust in God's plan, which ultimately leads to his exaltation.
The Gospel from Matthew vividly portrays the culmination of this humility and trust in the narrative of Jesus' crucifixion. Despite the mockery, betrayal, and suffering, Jesus remains silent, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah. His silence is not one of defeat but of trust in God's plan. The people's choice of Barabbas over Jesus and the subsequent crucifixion reveal the depth of human sin, but they also highlight the depth of God's love. The crucifixion scene is a powerful reminder of the cost of sin and the price Jesus paid for our redemption. The tearing of the temple veil and the resurrection of the saints symbolize the new covenant and the victory of life over death.
As we reflect on these readings, we are called to embrace humility and trust in our own lives. In a world that often values power and control, Jesus shows us that true strength lies in surrendering to God's will. Like Jesus, we are called to trust in God even when the path is uncertain or difficult. This trust is not passive but active, requiring us to stand firm in our faith despite trials and persecutions. The moral lesson here is clear: our lives should be shaped by selfless love and a willingness to lay down our own interests for the sake of others. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is not just an act of redemption but also a call to follow in his footsteps, living lives marked by humility, trust, and love.